Study Abroad, Uncategorized

Finding my Voice Again

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There were four stages of my departure from India: the first, when I said goodbye to my friends in Jaipur, the second, when my parents arrived for Christmas (thus ending my “abroad” lifestyle), then, my arrival home (with the fortunate opportunity of experiencing my culture shock alongside my family), and lastly, my arrival in Claremont. Each of these were significant in their own way- they each provided unique learning opportunities and various perspectives for reflection. The start of the school year, and the madness that has ensued, has so far been the most overwhelming, and in many ways, most telling of all these experiences. One aspect of this was the overwhelming number of friends I reunited with, meetings I needed to schedule, and internship deadlines I immediately faced. Some of the most basic aspects of college even became foreign- the massive buffets, the luxurious facilities (yes I said it,) even the sheer number of people who seemed remarkably similar to myself in age, race, and even personality. Many of these stressors have also proven to be the best comforts: my friends, a busy schedule, peers willing to debate and connect on an intellectual level, even the ability to exercise every day. Of all these things, one aspect of CMC that has brought me tremendous satisfaction in the last two weeks –even more than I expected- is the ability to contribute and involve myself so immensely in the CMC community.

When I was abroad I always felt like an outsider, dependent on others to survive. I was in India as a student, my role was to absorb, to accept the wealth of knowledge and hospitality bestowed upon me by the incredible Indians I was surrounded by. To some this may sound amazing- in many ways the role is unique to a young traveler like myself- but this role often makes me feel anxious. My personality is to contribute, to get involved, to give back; although I love the opportunity to travel, I feel best when I can act in those ways. Claremont gives us all an incredible chance to get involved- to spread ourselves thin, to be leaders (if we chose), and hopefully, and most of all, to be a part of a community where we can offer our diversity of interests, talents, and ambitions.

Now before this dives to into the KLI-esque leadership cheese fest, I do think its worth reflecting on these opportunities as the privileges they really are. As I have readjusted to the extreme materialism of the US, the fact that this privilege stood out to me really says something. Sure, many people in a country like India would be jealous of our sports cars, our fancy electronics, and our stylish clothes. But I think the real value lies in our voices. Whether we chose to use them or not, we are each granted a wonderful opportunity to use our voices in ways that many people in India could never imagine. Our freedom to get involved with different interests, to advance in areas we find interesting, even to constructively criticize our peers, these should all be considered in our wealth of opportunities at CMC.

What this also helped me realize is how important it is to recognize the voices that are being quieted even in Claremont. This privilege is an exceedingly important aspect of CMC’s culture and any force that exists to suppress it- whether it race, sexual orientation, nationality, or even political position- should be acknowledged. I for one am extremely grateful for the incredible opportunities I have to use my voice and to contribute to things I believe in but I also recognize the factors that exist that grant me this privilege. As I continue to understand this dynamic and continue to take full advantage of the opportunities I have, I see some responsibility in ensuring that CMC continues to strive to be more open and welcoming to those whose voices may have been overshadowed in the past.

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Study Abroad

The Trains of Mumbai

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Wow! What a journey its been since I last updated the blog. I found that, inevitably, almost every study abroad goes through a stretch where they deny their blog- and it appears this was my time.

I spent most of the last month and half in Mumbai (or Bombay depending on who you ask.) At around 20 million people, the city is the largest in India and definitely one of the craziest. I spent my time there carrying out research on impact measurement strategies in social enterprises. I will post something more focused on the study once I finalize my report and feel better summarizing my findings. The rest of my time I spent exploring Mumbai: enjoying the wonders of globalization through my frequent patronage of Starbucks, making friends at the local powerhouse gym, exploring the plethora of awesome street food options, and most of all, utilizing the craziest public transpiration system I have ever experienced: the trains of Mumbai.

Mumbai is a sprawling city. It stretches over seven islands. 50% of its population resides in shanti-towns or slums. Asia’s largest slum, and the slum at the center of Slumdog Millionaire, is located there. Much of the rest of the city resides in the vast “suburbs” that spread for miles in all direction. These suburbs are made up of housing societies, malls, and streets filled with all sorts of small shops (mainly street food stalls.) Most of the residents of these neighborhoods commute inside the city to work. Almost all of them, and especially those who live far from the city center or can’t afford another form of transportation, take the trains. The trains operate like a subway system except they are all above ground and they don’t have any doors or automated notification system. There are two classes- one costs 15 rupees for an hour ride (approx..) and the other about 150; the choice was obvious. Due to many recent incidents there are separate trains designated for women as well as for the elderly and handicapped. The other compartments are a free-for-all.

To enter the train its best to get a running start. Once aboard its necessary to use a burst of strength, or well placed elbows, to get through the entryway into the train. If you’re extremely fortunate and the train is relatively empty, you may find a seat. In the case I was able to find a seat, it was nearly impossible for me to stay awake. Luckily the same could be said for the other passengers and inevitably we would all end up asleep on one another- my head on the shoulder of an older businessman, a teenager asleep on my side.

During rush hour, such a luxury was impossible. The trains were so full that it was often impossible to breath out all the way. The owner of my gym said that trains were good for muscles- the intensive massages were great for relaxing. As the trains shifted, the collective would shift accordingly. Occasionally, I would life one my legs up to attempt to shift to a less dense area only to find that it was impossible to set it down again. I’m convinced that if I had lifted my other leg up as well, I would have stayed upright, lifted up by the density of people. The worst cars to find yourself in were the open cars that were a third the size of normal compartments and reserved for merchants taking their goods to market. In these compartments I didn’t just have to fight for space with men and children, but with giants sacks of fruits and boxes of goods like watches or fake jeans. One most popular methods of travelling on the trains was the hang out the side of the trains. This was not only an ingenious method of finding air-conditioning, but also an incredible means of witnessing Mumbai. An average train ride was about 45 minutes, although, to get to some of my interviews took as long as 2 ½ hours. Once it was time to get off the train, if you were near the door it was usually expected that you hop off early- an action which resulted in a running/sliding entrance to the platform. The rest exited the same way they entered- through pushing and yelling and laughing.

This was not only the most significant aspect of my time in Mumbai due to the extent of time I spent travelling on those trains, but for what it taught me about India. Clearly my experience was very different than the experiences of the girls in my program- but it was significant nonetheless. The people I met were welcoming and familiar. They were inquisitive about my background and what I was doing in Mumbai. The helped push me onto the trains and held on to me if I leaned out. The moved over to give me a seat and taught me to give it up when a woman or senior approached. The pushing, elbowing, and shouting were only overshadowed by the laughing, joking, and brotherly horseplay. The trains not only gave me a badge of honor, everyday they showed me the true Mumbai- its people, its culture, and even its fields and its homes. It may not sound like a tourist attraction, but its surely the backbone of the city.

After four weeks in Mumbai I took an 18-hour train back to Jaipur where I only spent 6 days. The few days were packed with writing (45 pages!), final shopping, some moderate drinking, a visit to the hospital to visit a friend who could have had a better final few days in India, and lots of goodbyes. Because I’m still in India its difficult to separate my experience here from the SIT program. However, my experience traveling, my attitude and my perceptions, had clearly been shaped by the friends and mentors that have surrounded me the last three months. I’m sure my next few weeks will be filled with lots of reflections and I’ll make sure to be better about updating everyone!

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Study Abroad

To Mumbai…

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I couldn’t have asked for a better last weekend in Jaipur. After hearing about Diwali for the last two months the date finally came and it didn’t disappoint. The city sounded like a war zone and the streets looked like New York City at Christmas time. Children flooded the streets to light off fireworks and families walked to and from houses bringing gifts of sweets. My family earnestly held their Puja and then welcomed the neighbors for some food and drinks. Supplemented with Scotch and Soda, the whole event was perfectly Indian and a great end to my time with my host family- although maybe making the start of my next journey a little more difficult.

For the next four weeks I will be living in Mumbai working on my Independent Study Project- a central tenant of my SIT program. Students come up with a project they would like to study for four weeks anywhere in India. After a lengthy planning process, filled with the usual frustrations and the eventual understanding that it would all work out, my plan seems to be set. I will be studying the affects of impact measurement on social enterprises in Mumbai. (I included the abstract below to clarify.) This is a topic of great interest to me. Before starting my program I knew that I would pursue a project along these lines. For those who know me, they know how interested I am in Social Entrepreneurship, and this will be an incredible experience to learn more about the topic. This research topic has not been heavily researched so it’s a subject I’m really interested in learning about.

My advisor for this project is Prof. Satyajit Majumdar, Professor and Chairperson of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship at the Tata Institute for Social Sciences (TATA). TATA offers a Masters in Social Entrepreneurship and is home to a social enterprise incubator as well as many other awesome programs. I’ll get the chance to speak with professors their about the themes I’m interested in and hopefully hear a number of different perspectives on the matter. It will be interesting to see how they are instructing their students and what role they are giving to outside foundations whose funding will be crucial to the success of the students. I’ll also be able to speak with aspiring social entrepreneurs (some of whom have just started their ventures) about how this issue affects their decision making and what their ambitions are as social entrepreneurs. This will be a great opportunity to not only learn from some of the most knowledgeable and experiences people in this field, but also some of the future change-makers in India. Hopefully it will be both education and inspiring as well as a great opportunity to expand my own knowledge and network in social entrepreneurship.

I’ll be spending some time with an organization called, Greenway Grameen Infra, which manufactures and distributes a bio-fuel stove in rural India. Not only is the stove affordable, it is significantly better for the environment and the families using the stove. Greenway Grameen is a perfect example of the power of socially driven, for-profit enterprises to make a really meaningful impact in this country. I’m excited to learn more about their day-to-day activities and actually see a sophisticated, yet young and ambitious social enterprise in action.

Throughout this month I will be reaching out to social enterprises, foundations, incubators, impact investment firms, and other organizations that play a role in this issue. It will be extremely challenging at times- not only am I inexperienced in the field of social entrepreneurship, I am also inexperienced in this type of extensive research. Connecting with organizations and communicating my intentions to them has already proven to be difficult. I’m really excited for this project- for the challenges it will bring, for the people I will meet, and ultimately for the product that will emerge by the end. The ISP is a pretty cool aspect of my time here- an opportunity to live on my own and take initiative towards something I care greatly about. Mumbai will surely be chaotic but I think I’m prepared for what it will throw my way. Wish me luck!

Abstract

India, long recognized as a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity as well as a culture favoring civic-minded activity, is a great model of the type of diverse work and meaningful issues that Social Entrepreneurship addresses. Its vast need and extreme size necessitate urgent problem solving through effective and creative answers. In the last five years especially, India has seen great growth in social enterprises. These organizations operate in a number of sectors and utilize various business models to accomplish their social mission. Foundations, individuals, and financial institutions throughout India are working hard to recognize and reward those social entrepreneurs whose business models, coupled with their passion and will to succeed, are changing the surface of crucial sectors. New financial models are also emerging to empower social entrepreneurs who historically have been unable to access the capital needed to scale their impact. These funders are calling for better outcome evaluation through standardized quantified measurement systems. The impact of these models on social enterprises appears to be both positive and negative. Social Enterprises address countless issues and often their outcomes are difficult to quantify. However, it is necessary to find effective, scalable methods to fix today’s problems. This study will look at various social enterprises and financial and educational institutes in India to give a picture of the various affects these measures have- from business modeling, to resource allocation, to day-to-day operations.

Photos from Diwali: (Look at my facebook for more photos…)Image

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Articles, Study Abroad

In Support of Breaks

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A version of this article was featured in my school paper, the CMC Forum: http://cmcforum.com/life/11132013-letters-to-home-take-a-break

My girlfriend says that when we go hiking together she can’t stand the number of breaks I take. I seem to speed ahead – leaving everyone else in the dust – only to pause after 15 minutes to take in the view.  Her comment made me reflect.  I realized that far from being some cardiovascular weakness, my pauses are one aspect of what might be described as my life strategy. See, I’m a huge believer in the 5-minute break: the time-out, the breather, whatever. These breaks come in many forms and sizes too: the 5-minutes breaks I take during a hike, the 90 minutes I take to workout every day, the gap year I took after high school, or even the four months I’m currently spending in India. Each of these represents some sort of respite from my regular scheduled life and each is equally crucial to my staying sane, motivated, grounded, and inspired.

The examples I provided pretty obviously fall into two categories: I’ll call them macro-breaks and micro-breaks for the purpose of this article. Macro-breaks are intense, often life altering moments that usual require the physical need to step away- this may come in the form of study abroad, a trip with some friends, or even a decision to totally detach ourselves from our current circumstances. Micro-breaks are breaks in the day- small moments to reflect that only require mental distance[i].

I have taken a few, intensive macro-breaks in my life. These phases, due to their nature, almost always involve reflection. For me a lot of this reflection has come afterwards as I come to understand the true impact they have had on my life. My first macro-break as an independent-thinking, somewhat-conscious young-adult was a 10-day Vision Quest my Senior year (of HS). I spent three days alone without any food and nothing to do but write. This experience was really my first introduction to the power of reflection. In many ways it also influenced one of the most important decisions I ever made: to take a year off from formal schooling. I actually made this decision while attending CMC’s newly admitted student day. Although I couldn’t have been more excited about starting college (especially at CMC,) I wasn’t sure I was totally ready-so I called timeout. My year off turned out to be awesome for me. I definitely needed the respite from structured education; I had some extraordinary growth experiences and it definitely helped me have a better understanding of what I wanted to do in college. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to have an experience like it again but it reinforced the importance of stepping away to challenge myself in new ways.

The most recent macro-break I’ve embarked on is the one I’m currently experiencing. I underestimated this before I left, but leaving CMC right in the middle of my time there was enormous. I feel so connected with the CMC community that dropping everything and taking off for a foreign land was initially wrenching, and I seriously questioned whether it was the right decision. However, the break from normal classes, from the activities that I love, even from the people I love, has given me a great perspective on what I value and appreciate about them, as well as on what I want to change when I come back.

Perhaps one of the most important things I have learned during my current macro-break is the true importance of micro-breaks. My time here has contained innumerable incredible experiences; a quick scroll through my blog or Facebook album will reinforce this reality. But the days have also been immensely challenging.  I’ve learned to be honest with myself about how exhausting the experience is every day. Without forcing myself to head away from my group to sit by myself, or hit the gym for a workout, it can be hard to maintain the energy and focus I need to really absorb what’s going on around me.

Micro-breaks, although shorter and usually less intensive than macro-breaks, are just as important to me. Finding these little breaks throughout the day to reflect, to check-in with myself, or just escape the craziness of my day are crucial to my ability to stay focused. Sports have historically represented this in my life, although with the glory days of high school over, I’ve turned to working out. It sounds stupid to some but working out for me is exactly the kind of break in my day that I’m talking about. Plugging in my headphones, following a routine, literally picking heavy things up and putting them back down, is incredibly, well, meditative for me.

Similarly, I’ve also found a lot of value in daily mediation. Last semester I really picked up my meditation game by spending 10 minutes every morning before my roommate woke up, sitting on my bed with my headphones listening to a mindfulness podcast. I’ve tried to find these moments spontaneously as well: through small trips to the village or the occasional long bike ride. Each break takes some time away from schoolwork but I’ve found that they more than make up for it by helping my focus and productivity.

Our constant responsibilities often lead us to believe that either we don’t have time, or we’re being lazy and selfish when we find the time to take a break. And this isn’t to say that breaks are always a good decision- the intent in taking a break should be to enhance the experience we are currently having, not to detract from it. In order to really connect with things on a deeper level, or to enjoy some of the most important moments in life, we need to be present- and sometimes a break can help with that. It’s also clear that most people don’t need to take as drastic measures as I do. A break for you may mean catching some waves early on a Friday morning, a bike ride to the village, or an ice-cold beer on a weekday. Maybe it’s volleyball practice, or Shades practice, or some time on top of Kravis reading an un-assigned novel. Maybe it’s a trip to Mount Baldy, or even a semester off.

Whatever your choice, getting the full benefit requires one key thing – mindfulness. Being aware of the pause we’re granting ourselves is crucial to fully enjoying and benefiting from it. Being purposeful, instead of hasty, gracious instead of guilty about the breaks in our day only make the more stressful times that much more focused and meaningful. We all deserve a break or two, it’s too sunny outside and we’re too young for that not to be true. Maybe we all don’t have to run off to India and grow out our hair, but I think these breaks are a crucial element to staying sane in College.

Over and out from India!

[i] I think it’s important to note that I have been extremely fortunate to have these moments in my life. I understand that it is an incredibly privileged aspect of my life.

Travel

Musings

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Here are some musings I’ve made over the last few months… This reads sort of like a diary entry. I’ll probably come back and amend and add to this list, maybe make some edits, or maybe delete a section or two. The opinions are mine, the take away is yours…

Details don’t matter that much:

I can’t say I’ve ever been a detail-oriented person but living abroad has definitely expanded this personality trait. Living in a country like Liberia or India ones learns very quickly that details are often pointless. The first week we were here, on the way to Delhi, the Academic Director declared, “I’m happy to announce that we will be there in EXACTLY 2 hours… unless it takes longer.” See in the US, we would expect an exact time frame; 30 minutes of traffic could ruin my day. But in India, there is no reason to expect that things will go at all according to plan. At any given moment things can fall apart- disintegrating into chaos. And any finely planned detail becomes obsolete. This places more focus on being flexible and able to think on your feet. Obviously, details are important when I get home and need to plan something, but a sense of “shit happens,” is definitely healthy.

You’re often completely powerless. I don’t do “powerless” well:

I remember during my Vision Quest senior year, the first lesson I ever learned was about being powerless. I had just started my three-day solo and fast and was trying to build a tent in the area I had chosen to live. However, for whatever reason, the area I chose was SO windy that it was actually impossible to put my tarp up. This doesn’t stop me from trying for 60 minutes in vain. When I finally gave up, I realized that this was the first lesson I had gained on my trip: sometimes we are completely powerless.

I’ve felt that way lots of times on this trip. From the overall organizing of SIT and their hands on approach, to my naivety and inexperience in the India culture. Contracting dengue and being stuck in a hospital was probably the best example of this. Not only was I powerless about this disease and the notion that it was getting worse every day, I was unversed in the workings of the hospital, I spoke a different language than most of the hospital workers, and I wasn’t communicating very much with the people I perceived as the decision makers. Every day however, there are traces of this. I don’t make myself breakfast. I don’t drive myself to school. My day is pretty much planned for me.

Down time can be just as hard as the busiest of times:

I read this online somewhere and realized that its completely true. All of the most stressful, taxing moments of my trip have come when I was lying in bed worrying about one thing or another. When I’m out in the city, yelling at rickshaw drivers, staring down creepy Indian men, I’m too confused and out of place to even think. I’m worried about surviving. But when I have enough time to start being sentimental- to start thinking about home and what I’m missing- that’s when I struggle the most. Sam spoke about this frequently when she was abroad and it serves as one more reason to do the following:

Take initiative:

Especially on a program like SIT, where outings are constantly organized and classes are long and challenging, it can be tempting to utilize my free time to relax and hang-out. However, as I so eloquently stated on the group facebook page, “in two months when you’re sitting at home in your underwear drinking bad beer and perusing facebook… do you want to look back and think about that weekend when you chose NOT to ride an elephant and go streaking at a cricket game?” For the record we never had any intention of going streaking but that’s besides the point. With only 1 more week in Jaipur (crazy right?) I have to consistently push myself to take initiative, take chances, discover new places. I think in some sense this goes back to the mentality that I have to make the most of my time here because I’m giving up so much back home. However, its also a great practice in taking initiative. I constantly find this theme in my life. I feel very involved in a lot of things, but often one within an organization or an activity, I have to challenge myself to keep pushing. This will be especially important for the last year and a half at Claremont, as I continue to push myself in my extracurricular activities.

Ask Questions:

You won’t get anything if you don’t ask for it! I find that the language barrier, paired with the sometimes-hostile reactions of local Indians, often creates a wall of intimidation. I imagine this is only worse for the women on our trip who receive even more hostile reactions. However, I’ve found that the best way to feel in control, engaged with the surroundings, and comfortable in my setting, is to ask questions.

A group of college students presents a bunch of interesting dynamics:

One of the interesting aspects of our group that I have observed is the dichotomy between all of our desire to collaborate, to explore together, to be intertwined in each other’s lives, but at the same time indulge out introverted tendencies that seem to define this time of our lives. It has occurred to me recently how many of my friends don’t seem to match the common understandings of introverts and extroverts. There are times where everyone ones to explore with each other- to share moment of their experience with the group. Not just verbally afterwards, but in the moment. However, there are lots of days when our group is quiet and withdrawn, taking the time to digest and comprehend on a personal level what is occurring around us. We’ve taken trips in sizes of 4 students, 6 students, and 18 students. Each of these experiences had taught me about myself and about the characteristics of different parts of America, if not our generation as a whole.

It’s one thing to understand the variety of material things you miss/need, it a whole other thing to recognize the emotional states you miss/need:

This sounds pretty dense but it’s really not. I’ll put it this way: it’s one thing to miss your car or your favorite food, it’s another thing to realize how much you miss being around your crazy family, and the oppressive love and constant badgering they seem to define. Or how much you miss the constant joking of your friends, the constant presence of friends poking their head in to say hello. It was easy to recognize the material things I missed but took longer to realize the little nuanced activities that make up my day. I’ve also realized, after talking to classmates, that lots of people struggle to realize these things and come to terms with them. They’re a lot harder to talk about.

The more I experience places like this, the less I take for granted back home, but the more I appreciate those aspects of my life:

One of the stranger paradoxes that I have found, and this is related to the last point, is that in some ways my desire for simple things increases when I return from a country like India or Liberia. For a while I found this shallow- working out more, eating more fresh salad, being happy about my nice jeans and clean t-shirt- these things all seemed shallow and material. I wanted to come back from abroad and not care about these things. Not care about the quality of my food. Not care about my clothes. But what I found instead was that I had a greater appreciation for them but I was also more thankful and recognized the great privilege I had for having those things in my life. I’m sure this doesn’t apply to everyone. As many people discover they favor the life they lead in developing countries, my opinion of the life I lead back home has only increased. This all may sound shallow but over the past year especially, I’ve been lucky to find the things in my life that give me purpose, happiness and balance, and luckily enough for me, they are very compatible with my life in the US. Does this mean I’m forgetting my life in India? No- I think the important things to consider are deeper than these issues. Food waste, sustainability, cultural piracy, and foreign imperialism- these are all real issues to think about and incorporate into our daily actions. My preference for fresh air, a clean park to go running in, fresh fruits and veggies- these are all personal preferences which make me happy and I’m not sure I feel guilt about it.

The more I realize how much I’m giving up to be here, the more I’m motivated to make the most of my time here:

This is has been a really important thing for me to come to terms with. The two weeks before I left I had a crisis of confidence in my decision to go abroad. I was leaving behind so much at Claremont. I was leaving behind a great community in which I was heavily involved and which brought great fulfillment and meaning into my life. I had just found balance in my life and I was leaving the things and the people I loved most. This partly carried over to my first few weeks here. It was hard not to think about the things I was leaving behind in the States. Full credit goes to Sam for helping me get over this. She said, “Well, if you’re going to be gone for four months I want you to have the time of your life!” She was totally right. Being sad and spending my time missing home was only going to make things worse; getting out and exploring, challenging myself to try new things, and learning about things I would never have at home was the best way to spend my time. This mindset hasn’t made me stop missing home- nothing could do that. But it’s definitely made sure that my time here is as challenging and fulfilling as possible. Using the things I learn here, whether personal lessons or global challenges, I can return to my community back home and make it a better place. I can infuse these new ideas into my own life and challenge the people around me. This is a great opportunity to learn about myself and the world and I know that everything I left back home will be there when I come back.

Study Abroad, Travel

Varanasi

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When I was in 8th grade my family decided to visit my brother in India. He, like I am now, was spending three months studying at an American program in Bodhgaya. Although I made countless memories during my time there, the most vivid experience was my trip to Varanasi. My family woke at dawn and hired a boat on the bank of the Ganges. From there we set off through the lotus-covered waters to observe Varanasi’s famous Burning Ghats. These Ghats are where Hindu families carry out public cremations of their loved ones. The smell, the smoke, the lighting, and the spirit in the air- all of these things were too much for my mind to handle. That moment stuck with me and was a major factor in my decision to study abroad in India. I could never quite grasp everything in that scene. There were so many things that were beyond foreign to me. Although, even at that age, I had been lucky enough to travel to many different places, I had never seen anything like the Burning Ghats. And because they confused me so much, because they challenged me so much, I needed to return to them eventually. I finally accomplished that goal last week.

To prepare students for their time on their Independent Study Project, SIT sends four groups of students off to “intern” at a nonprofit for 10 days. The choices were: a women’s empowerment group in Dharmasala, an education group in Udaipur, an environmental group in Delhi, and an education group in Varanasi. While each nonprofit seemed amazing, I couldn’t pass up the chance to return to Varanasi. So, after 8 years, and a 20 hour train ride, I returned to Varanasi and its Burning Ghats.

My experience there was incredible. I find myself drawn to the holy cities of India; The chaos that engulfs them, the diversity of the visitors, and the spirituality that serves as platforms to the whole ordeal all fascinate me. I am at once bombarded by my senses and at peace with my self. Each day was more exhausting than the next. However we were blessed with an ample amount of time to relax and digest. Literally digest: we found some delicious (and cheap!) Middle Eastern food and our dinners turned into a daily reprieve from the madness surrounding us. I found a great amount of time to read. It was bizarre to escape the world for a while through a novel only to look out onto the Ganges rushing past and hear the sound of cows and taxis consuming the city. We did find time to explore however. We ended up visiting the Ghats twice; the first time we followed a little boy through the skinny, shit-ridden streets of Varanasi to a building that overlooked the Burning Ghats. Even though we spent at least 30 minutes transfixed by the scene, we all were unsatisfied and we returned at dawn a couple days later via boat. Even though I found myself more connected/understanding of the families morning their loved ones, I found myself no closer to understanding what was in front of me. Varanasi was a great city accompanied by an atmosphere that is difficult to describe. I’ve posted some photos below that will hopefully capture what I saw in front of me (no photos of the public cremations.)

The Organization we visited in Varansi was founded by a Swiss woman 20 years ago and was named Kiran. It was a school (better described as a village) for kids with disabilities. The school was created for kids with physical, neurological, and learning disabilities. There were numerous programs offered by Kiran: a special education unit, an integrated education unit (which included kids without any disabilities), a vocational/skill training center, a rehabilitation unit, and a teacher-accreditation unit. We spend 5 days visiting each of the units and it was an amazing experience. I have always been interested in education and I’ve even had the opportunity to volunteer at a special education summer camp, but I’ve never experienced something as educational about this field than my time in Kiran. I have included an excerpt from the journal I kept during my time there that hopefully portrays the environment I was surround by.

“We arrived at the same time as everyone else. After meeting the Director’s personal assistant, who was confided to a wheel chair, she escorted us to the main meting hall for daily prayer and meditation. Students fill the room. Some were confided to wheel chairs- they sat at the edge of the room- others relied on crutches, which they left at the door, relying on friendship to reach their seats. Some differences we obvious some were not. Many students sat on-stage with a staff member seated in front of a harmonium. When the room reached capacity the harmonium began to hum and the crowd commenced in devotional song. After a couple of minutes, the room fell silent and we began mediation. I was immediately jealous of the students for having the chance to start their day with such mindfulness. The students seemed sincere as the room seemed unusually still considering the diversity of life it held. Following another song and what I assume was the pledge of allegiance; the woman we met earlier took the microphone for announcements. She introduced us, along with a French couple and their two younger children. The couple must have been supporters as they were greeted with a garland of flowers. The students dutifully clapped- a strangely routine procedure considering the ongoing stairs of bewilderment we seemed to be recipients of.

What stood out most at first was the sense of community that permeated the room. The group seemed more like a dysfunctional family than anything; accepting and proud of each other’s differences. Next was the sense of foreigner that I felt. I’m sure each of those students was suffocated by a feeling of foreignness throughout their lives. However, here at Kiran, WE were the foreigners; this was their home turf. Unlike the people who had subjected them to this feeling of otherness, the students at Kiran were extremely willing to accept us into their community. Our foreignness and all of our differences only added to the community. In fact, in many ways I felt more comfortable at Kiran than anywhere else that I had visited. The stairs seems more friendly and forgiving and more often then not transformed into a smile or a booming, “Namaste!”

The rest of the was exhausting; Along with the French couple, we received a tour of each program and each of their subsections. We visited the vocational training center where students were busy making jewelry and scarves, canning food, and taking classes on henna painting. We visited the wood workshop where skilled carpenters were hard at work manufacturing the same toys that they themselves had enjoyed as kids. We visited the Human Resource Training Center (HRTC) where Kiran trained the next generation of teachers and administrators for special needs children. We saw the various classrooms- each one distinctly different from the others. Two were for hearing impaired children. Their smiles and play seems even more expressive than that of most people. Their lack of hearing in no way slowed their connection with other classmates or the outside world. We visited the special education unit where students of differing ages and abilities aided each other in their common mission. We visited the integrated education unit as well where we watched one student with polio assist another student with Cerebral Palsy into her wheel chair. I couldn’t help but think that Kiran had accomplished what the American education system had always struggled to do: teach compassion and empathy to its students.”

This week was a lot to grasp. I frequently find myself thinking that these situations are too difficult to describe accurately, at least by me, which discourages me from blogging about them. I hope photos can suffice where I may fail and I look forward to telling these stories (with some more Masala) when I’m back!

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A Day in the Life of a Chai Addict

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*I wrote this post before departing on a recent excursion to North India. A summary of my time there will be posted this weekend!

My mother brought up the fact that I have yet to communicate my daily schedule to anyone. I think about daily routine often- I love establishing a routine in my life and feel that it usually defines the state of my life. If I have an awesome daily routine, usually my life couldn’t be better. If I can’t find any rhythm in my life, usually I can’t find any rhythm in my thoughts and so on. It is hard to communicate how hectic, stimulating, and draining my daily schedule in Jaipur is. Everything I do here seems to be 10 times as draining it would be at home. Even though I have about a hundredth of the workload and I’m definitely more sedentary, I am so much more exhausted than I am at college. I have tried to outline my schedule, as well as some of the details, but it’s hard to communicate the moments and reflections that define my day. That being said…I have tried my best to present a day in the life of me:

 

6:00 am: Often times I wake up at 6:00 to Skype Sam or my family. Because of our schedules and the time difference, when I Skype Sam inevitably one of us has to wake up early before school.

 

6:30 am: My normal wake up time- I usually wake up early so I have some time to relax and catch my bearings before the start of a crazy day. I sleep in a large bed in a crowded room. A third of the room is dedicated to a Hindi shrine, surrounded by pictures and sculptures of an idol. The rest of my room, similar to other parts of my house, is crowded by art, pictures of the family, stacks of books, and (mostly religious) trinkets from around the world. Although the younger people hurriedly rushing around the house may be Westernernized, my host parents are determined to maintain a traditional, indigenous feel to their house. Waking up in the atmosphere is always a calming reintroduction to the Indian world I seem to escape during my sleep.

 

6:30-8:00 am: Sometimes I shower in the morning- vis a vis a classic bucket-shower set-up- but sometimes this is just too much to ask of myself. Most mornings I enjoy a hot pot of Chai[1] and sit with my host father talking about a large range of topics- from the dangers of our modern celebrity culture, to current Indian and American political issues, to things like national identity, modernity, and even Rawls. At some point I excuse myself to eat breakfast. Breakfast is a bowl of cornflakes, a number of bananas, and toast if I would like it. Usually this breakfast isn’t enough so I find myself consuming mass amounts of bananas and peanut butter during the school day.

 

8:00 am: To get anywhere in Jaipur I have to take an autorickshaw. Rickshaws are three wheeled, tin, golf cart- looking vehicles. They seem to have the engine equivalent of a John Deere but the handling of a Porsche. All of them are decked out with various religious signs or initials or other symbols to identify the driver. All the drivers in Jaipur seem to know each other and, as our rickshaw driver has demonstrated, there are often several generations of rickshaw drivers in a family. My rickshaw driver is named Manjing Sing (no guarantees on the spelling) and he is the man. He is energetic, encouraging, extremely helpful, and always a welcome start to my day. I’ve learned a lot about his story and his family and can honestly say he will be one of the people I remember most from my time here. SIT has set up a system in which one rickshaw driver picks up a number of students every morning and delivers them to the program center. I am one of the furthest away from the center so I am picked up around 8:00 and pick up two other girls on my program before arriving at our program center a little before 8:30.

 

8:30 am- 1:00 pm: The SIT program center is located in the nicest neighborhood in Jaipur in a converted house. There are no signs or indicators and to any walker-by, the building is just a large white house. There is one large classroom in the center along with one other small class room. There is a small library, a basement with a place to rest and a number of computers, a balcony where we eat lunch, a badminton court, and offices for the faculty and staff. We also have a table covered with fruit, crackers, filtered water, and tea/coffee. After our first block of classes we have a “Chai Break” where I gulp down about three cups of Chai as well as a snack that the cooking staff provides. I usually opt for a banana with peanut butter, however the snack are always excellent and are never te same. We generally have two classes a day. Often we have 2 hours of Hindi followed by a lecture before lunch, however, the schedule never seems to repeat itself. We have two teachers who attempt in vain to teach us Hindi; otherwise a lecturer leads our class (they are usually a local professor or government official.) I have just finished a class called Development Approaches and Distributive Justice (DADJ) in which we learned about the recent history of development, various themes pertaining to development, and a number of alternative development theories. Once a week I have a class called Field Methods and Ethics in which we learn basic researching methods that will help us during our Independent Study Project. We are just about to start a class called Shaping Sustainable Social Change that will fashioned similarly to DADJ. Although I’ve definitely struggled through Hindi class, the other classes have been extremely interesting and challenging. The speakers we have heard have all been incredibly articulate, passionate, and informed. Yesterday, in Delhi, we had our final class of the year, led by the author of Churning the Earth: The story of a Globalized India. He explained the political system he had developed labeled Radical Ecological Democracy (RED), which was a solution to the issues facing (mainly) rural, marginalized populations. It was indeed radical as it incorporated various ideas from modern day anarchist movement, the localization movement, and even communist notion of the end-state and economic equity. Whether I agreed with all the speakers or not, being exposed to radical new ideas and approaches has been an integral part of my time and the way. Being challenged in my classes in how I view the philosophical and political systems that I take for granted has been a very fulfilling exercise.

 

1:00 pm: When 1:00 rolls around I am SO ready for Lunch and the staff always delivers. We all make our make our way upstairs where we are treated to a number of Indian dishes (usually Dal or paneer or cauliflower,) a stack of warm chapattis. Along with fresh made yogurt and vegetables, the lunch never fails to satisfy. We sit out on the balcony and discuss our plans for the day, our thoughts on the day’s speaker, or just trade stories from our home-stay. After some time to relax and a banana for dessert its time to decide what to do with the rest of my day.

 

1:45- 4:30 pm: The second half of the day is always different. Sometimes we have a class, sometimes we have an excursion brief or a workshop for our ISP. Sometimes we plan adventures to a city landmark or nearby café. Recently I spent this time interviewing people for my ISP (see previous post), which was actually an exhausting exercise. Usually we end up spending this time doing our homework or planning our ISP. People spread-out throughout the center and our work is constantly interrupted by laughing or Bollywood music.

 

4:30pm: At the end of the day we are picked up by Manjing Sing. This should really say 4:00pm to 5:30pm because there is no predicting when he might show up. He always inevitably asks, “am I late,” which always seems like such a bizarre question to me because it seems so irrelevant. Maybe he learned that phrase or idea from a past American student, because he sure as hell doesn’t understand what it means. The drive home is even more hectic than the drive to school. We dodge the families, rickshaws, scooters, and carts of food that block the road. Last week Manjing Sing decided he would treat us, not once, but twice to a delicious Papaya Shake at a road-side stand. My pre-trip doctor would have probably scorned us, but we had heard rumors about this place and I have yet to feel any adverse effects (no guarantees on updates..)

 

5:30 pm: I usually arrive home to a thermos full of Chai and an onslaught of questions from my host father regarding his recent social network push. I have recently redone his facebook, set-up a facebook fan page, updated his linked-in, taught him how to use tumblr and twitter, and expect to have several more projects upon my return. If I can escape from that, and am not too tired, then I make my way to the gym. I found this gym totally by chance but I really love it. It was founded in the beginning of August by an eager (and very fit) Indian man name Johnson. All the equipment is brand new and he’s always open to my suggestions for new accessories. The trainers are all super friendly and are definitely incredibly entertained by my presence there. I put on some music and use the time as quasi-mediation- a time to unwind, escape the mind-fuck of chaos that surrounds me, and focus on nothing but picking up heavy things. I’m always exhausted when I finished but I love my slow walk back to Jawahar Nagar (the name of my neighborhood) as I can enjoy the nighttime, the people crowding the streets, the entrepreneurs making their final pitches at the end of a long day, and the various animals that make their way to the streets. The city goes to sleep early, and my curfew is even earlier, so this 10-minute walk is one of my few chances to catch a glimpse of the city at night- a time of the day that has always captivated me.

 

7:30 pm: When I get home my food is on the table. Everyone in my family eats at different times so the food is placed on the tables on various plates and the chapatti in an insulated container. Usually there are always two or three dishes per night. One is normally Dal or a similar dish, and the other is paneer, Okra, potatoes, or some form of soy. I have remained vegetarian here so I’m normally pretty hungry by 7 and warm chapatti is always the right fix.

 

8:00-11:30 pm: I spend the rest of the night reading a book, doing class readings, completing Hindi homework, or perusing the internet. This time of the day is always essential to me as it lets me finally relax, connect to the world, and reflect on the day. I read a lot here and love it. Its so nice to explore my own interests and the downtime at the end of the day is usually my time to do so. Sometimes I skype Sam or my family during this time, occasionally I watch a movie, and often I spend some time discussing current events with my host father or connecting with my 14 year-old host brother.

 

11:30 pm: By this time (or recently later) I am absolutely exhausted. I try to give myself time to read before bed. Once I shut the door, change into my pajamas, and close my book/computer, I fall asleep immediately- getting much needed rest before another hectic day in India.

[1] “Chai” in India is different then how we think of it in the US. Chai is the direct translation of tea in Hindi so we when we say “Chai Tea,” …you get the point. Here, what they just call Chai is usually black tea. What is unique is that they make it by boiling a combination of milk, water, and sugar and then add tea. They drain the pot and poor the tea. I drink about 15 cups of this a day- the addiction is real. 

Study Abroad, Travel

An Interview to Remember

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Recently, as part of my Field Methods and Ethics class, I was tasked with conducting three separate interviews (one in Hindi) of Indians outside of both my program and my home-stay. This assignment was supposed to prepare me for my Independent Study Project, which I’ll be starting in about 4 weeks. For those that don’t know, a major part of any SIT program is a 4 week Independent Study Project at the end of the program. We can go anywhere (safe) in India. My proposed area of study is definitely focused on social entrepreneurship, however I’m still trying to find a more defined focus. Planning and researching for my project has been a very time consuming, but ultimately very education and rewarding part of my time here. Anyways, back to the interview: My last interview was with the host-mother of a girl on my trip. Her name was Manisha and the interview was one of the most interesting and though provoking experiences I have had in India so far. I conducted this interview in English and because Manisha spoke English very well, we had an awesome, in-depth conversation on her work in Social Entrepreneurship. She works for a British NGO named Trade Craft, which works with artisans to distribute their products, enhance their capabilities as producers, and other enabling activities.

I have provided a rough transcript of our interview below:

How would you describe your work?

Trade Craft is a UK based NGO that works with rural, artisan women to build their capacity. There are several organization in India that work with a similar business model. These include Sadria, URMUL [a NGO Milk Union which works to build the capacity of rural Milk producers. They have now expanded operations to include rural schools, artisan programs, etc. Our group visited their headquarters but unfortunately I was busy fighting Dengue.], Rangasutra, and FABIndia [which collaborates with an organization which sources its clothe from rural artisans and does some similar work in capacity-building as Trade Craft] among others. Rangsutra, which is a part of URMUL, actually gives each artisan equity in the organization so that collectively the artisans own 25% of the organization. Personally I work as a project manager. I also work in the community to spread the principles of Fair Trade. As a project manager I work with artisans to gain market access through a variety of methods.

What challenges face NGO’s working in this area?

It’s very difficult to communicate the necessary changes to artisans. For example, a big part of our business is certifying these artisans with various certifications including fair trade and organic. Take an organic certification- its very difficult the necessary steps for this certification to rural farmers or artisans. In addition its difficult to communicate the necessary changes that need to occur in the supple chain for this certification to be sustainable in a business sense.

What are the greatest challenges facing these artisans?

One of the greatest challenges that face artisans is the ability to recognize changing market trends. It is very difficult for innovation to occur at this grassroots level. People in this work aren’t used to drastic changes in market dynamics.

What is an example of this?

In India we are seeing a rise in the middle and upper class. Especially with the rise in the middle class, there is a rising market need for more expensive, nicer crafts. Whereas before it was more important for artisans to produce things that could be marketed to both the upper class and the worst off, now they need to recognize this growing trend in middle class house furnishings, etc. This all has to do with changing demographics and its often difficult for rural artisans to see these things. This is a challenge we face as an organization but we are doing work to help artisans in this area.

In addition, it is often difficult for artisans to make the coordination necessary to distribute to larger organizations. Organizations working in this field are now changing their business model to incorporate more local coordination and regional offices although this may always be a difficult aspect of this sector.

Maybe for these reasons, in addition to the simple fact that this business is profitable, more and more organizations are operating as hybrid organizations. Trade Craft for example has a for-profit arm that sources free-trade crafts and food to domestically, in India, but also internationally. They also have a non-profit arm that works with training and empowering these local artisans.

The idea of globalization has been getting a lot of grief in India recently and lots of international circles. People feel that globalization is often characterized by the exploitation of the underserved populations by massive corporations. Do you feel this model represents a more sustainable form of globalization?

Absolutely. These artisans can be incorporated into the international markets and take advantage of changing demographics and market needs. It is also sustainable because it supports the rural population. [There are lots of interesting dynamics that have played out in India’s growth. One of these is that nearly 70% of India’s population resides in the rural areas, urbanization has occurred by population growth in cities is relatively low compared to rural areas, however almost all of the economic growth has occurred in cities.]

What role do you see the international community playing in the development of this type of business model?

I think there is lots of work that needs to be done in international markets, domestic markets, and with local organizations to ensure the spread of business like this and the push for capacity building activities in these developing markets. For these businesses to become sustainable, it is important for them to incorporate economies of scale. This involves investment and coordination. There also needs to be consumer awareness and desire. For example, if we are going to support the sustainable practice of hand-made cloth [popular in rural areas- this was a central part of the India’s revolution, and one of Gandhi’s biggest movements, as it represented Indians going back to their roots.], we need to build consumer awareness about what is manufactured by machines and what is manufactured by hand. Then we need to build desire.

What skills do you teach the artisans?

We teach skills including product development, market research, supply chain development, and other similar business development skills.

Do you teach soft skills such as innovation?

Yes- this is central to our education. We need to teach ideas like entrepreneurship and innovation in order for these artisans to be successful. This goes back to the challenges we spoke about including understanding market dynamics. These are much harder to teach because people don’t necessarily understand the value of these ideas.

How important is it for social enterprises to included the underserved population throughout the supply chain (as opposed to solely consumers)?

It’s very important. If this is truly going to be a sustainable business than we need to improve the lives of these people. However, when we talk about inclusiveness we also need to include them as consumers.

How important is it for MNC’s to include the underserved population in their value chains?

Well its very important for corporations because it goes back to the notion of inclusiveness. On the corporation’s end- corporations need to meet market need. This means if there is consumer demand, like we spoke about earlier, they will take the necessary steps to build supply chains.

How do we scale this type of work? (THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION)

Through work like we have been talking about, through the development of supply chains, and through economies of scale and the work involved in that aspect.

Again this is a rough transcript but I’ve tried my best to represent the themes that we touched on. The ideas portrayed by Manisha are consistent with the books and reports I have read on the topic, but her insight on the challenges facing these artisans, including the “how” (as Bill Drayton would appeal to) of how to enable them, was fascinating. These themes are going to become a huge part of my life in the next few weeks and I’ll try to post interesting info and interactions that I have.

Study Abroad

On the Internet:

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When my father travelled the world as a part of the International Honors Program, I can’t imagine he spent as much time perusing twitter or the NY Times or really any site on the laundry list of websites I check daily. I’m sure he didn’t spend nearly as much time keeping in touch with his friends over social networks like Facebook. Hell, he probably didn’t skype his mother as much as I do. But is this is a good thing? A sign of my over-connection to the world I left behind to study in India? Is it an advantage that I don’t have the burden of secluding myself from the world I feel so connected to? Or is it merely a sign of the changing times? These questions face me pretty frequently and I think I’m starting to come to terms with how they affect my time here.

 

1)    I love being connected with the world. The same Internet that allows me to stay connected with my world back home, allowed me to learn vast amounts about India before I ever set foot in this country. I may not necessarily spend all my time messaging friends back home, but retaining some connection to my community back home, from my extracurricular, to the weekly CMC parties, lets me retain some sense of connection, which I would hate to lose. My father says that the sense of connection to the CMC community that he lost when he went aboard was one of his biggest regrets in College. Technology has allowed me to soften this break-up. I also really value being a part of the lives of those I truly love. Being a part of Sam’s life everyday, through Viber, Skype, Facebook, etc. has made me much more comfortable during my time here. Talking to her for example, has been such a huge part of my ability to digest and reflect on my experiences every day. It allows me to share the nuances and hilarities that occur everyday, while getting support and love when I feel lonely, homesick, etc. I still feel like I am part of my family member’s lives- from Clare’s meditation classes, to Dad’s conferences, to my long talks with my Mom. This connection goes both ways- my loved ones know what’s going on in my life but I can also keep track of what’s going on in their lives. Encouraging my sister to meditate, watching Sam’s soccer games… all of these things are enabled by technology. These are all signs of a changing family dynamic, not necessarily a need, but a lingering connection that kids my age have with their families.

 

2)    The principal paradox these issue seems to raise is the conceived balance between staying present and using the internet. I wont lie- the internet has fed my worry about things like internships, future obligations, and the like. These worries take up a huge part of my life back in school and a semester abroad seems designed to give me a reprieve from these thoughts. But is that accurate? What if those things are all parts of who I am? I’m forward looking and driven and I value my ability to feel prepared and ready for the future. Furthermore, wouldn’t I worry about these things anyways? In theory this has the potential of being a major detractor from my time here. In practice however, I trust myself to not let this detract from time otherwise spent experiencing real things, and the peace of mind that shedding some focus on these activities is important. This debate seems to necessitate some type of meter on my smart phone- how present am I and how much am I thinking of the future and all of its needy obligations. I value my ability to think of the future and be prepared, so maybe I’ll aim for 90% present HAH.

 

3)    Access to information- When I talk about technology with my peers they so often deny that technology is important to them. They probably use it to stay in touch with people, but it’s endless wealth of information is seen as a drain- responsible for far too many hours spent surfing the web. I have a different point of view. On a day like today, when I’m stuck at home with no choice of exploring the real world, I love that I have the power to spend the day reading about awesome Social Enterprises, reading reports, and exploring blogs, and other various websites. Sitting in a small house in Jaipur, recovering from Dengue, I have tremendous access to whatever information I want. Although there is clearly a breadth of time-wasting material, there is also an incredibly ability to learn and explore. I don’t think of myself as an internet ‘ethicist’ but I do appreciate the democratization of information that the internet has afforded a student like myself.

 

4)    The internet contains a huge potential to disconnect from the world currently surrounding me and discouraging me from undergoing the experiences that will surely shape my time here. This seems to be the easy answer to the negative side of internet availability. Clearly any person who would say that my father’s circumstances are superior to mine- for whatever reasons: learning, immersion, genuine experience etc.- would allude to this argument. I would be the first to admit that this is true. It’s more than easy for me to lapse into the usual information sifting that reddit, salon, and twitter encourage. But this is ultimately my responsibility and hopefully doesn’t come to define my time here. However, I think there can be a healthy amount of communicating, of information-sifting, without being the down-fall of my time here, or even a detractor.

 

Ultimately, I really appreciate the benefits that the internet has brought me. I cherish my ability to connect with those I love, to explore and to learn in ways other-wise un-afforded to me, and to stay connected with the world. These views are undoubtedly formed by a millennial, and I’ll let you do your own analysis of that, but I think my preference towards these things is justified and demonstrates the rise of a global, connected type of study-aboard student. Of course there are a million ways for technology to take away from my time here, but thus far it has been a very important way for me to contextualize my time here while finding normalcy and meaning in my connections with the people back home. In addition to the expected adult retort of “stay present,” and “live in the moment,” I would love your feedback and thoughts below!